Locals fear for Pakistan tourist industry after brutal attack

Updated
June 25, 2013 19:27:00

Until now the Pakistani region of Gilgit-Baltistan has been free from anti-foreigner violence. But over the weekend gunmen murdered nine tourists and their guide who were climbing one of the region's tallest peaks, Nanga Parbat. Locals are worried about the implications for tourism in what they say is a predominantly peaceful part of Pakistan.

PETER LLOYD: Pakistanis have been outraged by an attack on foreigners over the weekend, which they fear could deter more people from visiting the already dangerous country.

A group of Islamist gunmen murdered nine foreign tourists and their Pakistani guide who were climbing one of the world's highest mountains.

The Foreign Affairs Department says travellers should now reconsider their plans, and that's the sort of advice that has locals in Pakistan worried about the implications for tourism.

Lexi Metherell reports.

LEXI METHERELL: The group which has claimed responsibility for the attack says it was in revenge for a drone strike last month in which a senior Taliban commander was killed.

Pakistanis may not like drone strikes, but many don't see how the tourists' killings are justified.

ZAEEM ZIA: I'm not sure what's the connection between a drone strike and killing of innocent people who are visiting us, particularly Gilgit Baltistan.

LEXI METHERELL: Zaeem Zia is a human rights activist and one of the many locals who's been outraged by the attack, in which 15 gunmen stormed a hotel at the base camp of the mountain Nanga Parbat, in the western Himalayas.

They killed nine foreign tourists and their Pakistani guide who were climbing the mountain - one of the world's highest.

Dr Zia says there are extremist elements in the region of Gilgit Baltistan, but they've struggled to take hold.

ZAEEM ZIA: Because most of the people in Gilgit Baltistan are either pacifist and they don't believe in extremism; literacy rate is almost 100 per cent here, except the part of the (inaudible).

There is a little bit of influence of extremists over there, but it's not prevalent in Gilgit Baltistan at all.

LEXI METHERELL: A person claiming to be from the Pakistan Taliban told the news agency AFP that the group was responsible for the attack.

But analysts say it's not an area the Pakistan Taliban's normally active in.

Michael Semple is a fellow at the Carr Centre for Human Rights Policy at the Harvard Kennedy School.

MICHAEL SEMPLE: The Pakistan Taliban has until now generally operated in tribal areas along the Afghan-Pakistan border, and of course there are basically no tourists there.

For this attack, they have ventured into an area which was largely free of anti-foreigner violence until now, and was really the place where the remaining Pakistan tourist industry has been based.

LEXI METHERELL: Zaeem Zia blames a group involved in a regional sectarian conflict.

ZAEEM ZIA: In 2012, nearly 100 Shiite Muslims were butchered in the same region. The lack of action from the government of Pakistan against these terrorists have been nil - they didn't take any action against those terrorists who have killed the Shiite Muslims who were travelling from Islamabad to Gilgit Baltistan.

Well, these are the people who are part of Pakistani Taliban.

LEXI METHERELL: So it's potentially some militant Sunni group that has been involved in secular attacks on Shiites in that region that's responsible for this?

ZAEEM ZIA: Exactly. It's the same group - they carried out the same attacks, the same way, in 2012.

LEXI METHERELL: Tour operators in Gilgit Baltistan are worried they could lose bookings for mountaineering expeditions to the beautiful region.

Zaeem Zia says the attack flies in the face of the region's character.

ZAEEM ZIA: I can see the people; they are having protests condemning the killings of the innocent people. The people here are very peace-loving and peaceful people, and very, very hospitable people.